Off the wire
• Weather forecast for world cities -- March 19  • Weather forecast for major Chinese cities, regions -- March 19  • Feature: Finnish enterprises hope to win bigger shares in Chinese economic story  • Venezuela's Supreme Court approves state of economic emergency  • Angola launches campaign to combat yellow fever, malaria  • Full Text: Work report of NPC Standing Committee (12)  • Full Text: Work report of NPC Standing Committee (13)  • Full Text: Work report of NPC Standing Committee (7)  • Full Text: Work report of NPC Standing Committee (11)  • Shanghai Disneyland gives Mickey and Minnie Chinese looks  
You are here: 　 Home

Cuba grants highest state honor to Venezuelan president

Xinhua, March 19, 2016 Adjust font size:

Cuba granted on Friday the highest state honor to visiting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

At a ceremony held at Havana's Revolution Palace, Cuban President Raul Castro honored Maduro with the Jose Marti Order.

The Venezuelan leader, who arrived here in the early hours of Friday, said that he took this Order with "the commitment of loyalty to the ideas of the founding fathers, Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez."

The Jose Marti Order is granted by the Cuban government to Cuban or foreign citizens for their services to the cause of peace or outstanding achievements in education, culture, science, sports or creative work.

Maduro was in Havana to participate in the Cuba-Venezuela High Level Joint Commission meeting to map out a cooperation arrangement for 2016 and a plan to deal with the present epidemics of Zika, dengue and Chikungunya affecting the region.

In his talks with Maduro, Castro reiterated unconditional solidarity with Chavez, the Bolivarian revolution and the civil-military union of the Venezuelan people led by President Maduro.

Both presidents reaffirmed their willingness to continue strengthening cooperation, said an official statement.

Maduro's visit to Cuba came two days ahead of the arrival of U.S. President Barack Obama.

Venezuela, a major political and economic ally of Cuba, provides some half of the fuel that Cuba needs to meet domestic demand, while Havana supports the social health and education plans promoted by the Venezuelan government. Endi